Kevan Lannister
Kevan Lannister is a member of House Lannister, a noble House from the Westerlands. Biography The Little Lion of Casterly Rock Kevan Lannister was born on the last day of Sixth Moon in the 368th year after Aegon's Conquest. His father was Stafford Lannister, the firstborn son and heir of Tyrek Lannister and his wife, Brienne of Tarth. His mother was Roslin Mallister, daughter of the Lord of Seaguard. The birth of the heir to Casterly Rock's third child and second son was followed by great festivities. A feast was held as Casterly Rock and a small tourney at Lannisport. The future looked bright for House Lannister, the heir had an heir of his own, as well as a spare. However, the realm was thrown into war when the pious King Petyr II Baelish sought to bring the Iron Isles back under the authority of the King on the Iron Throne, as well as into the light of the Seven. The Ironborn began their raids on the Westerlands, but they were intercepted by the Royal Fleet. So began the fateful Battle of Gravehand's Shoal. Although the battle was an easy victory on the side of the Royal Fleet, Kevan's father was severely wounded in the battle. In time, his wounds would fester and the man would die at the age of thirty. Kevan Lannister was less affected by his father's death than his brother, Martyn, six years of age, or his sister, Lysa, four years of age. After all, he had not yet reached his second nameday. Nonetheless, Kevan's first word was still "dada." Roslin Mallister fell into a depressed state in the moons following her husband's death, but she pulled through it, for her children's sake. Roslin doted on the young Kevan, her "little lion," a name she still calls Kevan into his adulthood. It was at Casterly Rock, the ancestral seat of House Lannister, that Kevan spent the majority of his early childhood. Kevan was always closer to his big sister, Lysa Lannister than with his big brother, Martyn. The pair of siblings would often be seen playing in the halls of Casterly Rock, and especially after Martyn left for King's Landing. The young boy was always diligent in his lessons with the Maester, learning heraldry, math, and reading, and he always paid close attention during his time with the Septon. Although his lessons with the Master-at-Arms were generally less successful. Roslin always sought the best for her little lion, dressing him the best clothing, always making sure he ate well and slept enough. Every night before Kevan would go to sleep, his mother would read to him some pages from a book or a passage from the Seven Pointed Star. The Lion Under the Weirwood Tree In the 377th year after Aegon's Conquest, Lord Tyrek Lannister thought it about time the little lion leave his den. Tryek Lannister sent his grandson to Raventree Hall to become a ward and squire of his son-in-law, Tristifer Blackwood. Roslin Mallister was saddened by another child leaving her, but she would come to accept it and would send him off with an emotional goodbye, alongside his sister, Lysa Lannister. Lord Tristifer Blackwood accepted his wife's nephew with open arms, accepting him into his household and treating him as if he were one of his own. It was here, at Raventree Hall, that Kevan would spend the majority of his late childhood and early teens. Although the Blackwoods were his cousins by birth, the little lion never truly felt at home, like a stranger in the home of another stranger. Despite this, he always treated the Blackwood children and Lord Blackwood with respect, which he would receive in return. Raventree Hall was most definitely not Casterly Rock, with its gold, high walls, and seaside view, but it was still the ancestral seat of House Blackwood, one of the most ancient and noble houses of the Riverlands, and it held all the distinctions of such prestige. Under the tutelage of Tristifer Blackwood, Kevan would begin his education in earnest. He quickly learned the ins and outs of being a Lord and a scion of a great house, how to behave, how to eat, how to address others, how to speak, etc. Kevan especially enjoyed dancing, singing, and playing instruments, especially the harp. He idolized Prince Rhaegar Targaryen in his youth and would attempt to emulate him in his mannerisms and actions. Always a polite and respectful boy, he gained the trust and respect of many at Raventree Hall. Over time, however, he learned how to adjust his speech and words to suit his purposes. A compliment here, a smile and a nod, Kevan found out how easy it was to convince people of whatever he wanted. Although he was able to make a great number of friends and acquaintances at Raventree Hall, Kevan enjoyed moments of solitude, time where he could be alone with his thoughts. There was no better place to be undisturbed than the Raventree Hall godswood. Kevan always marveled at the size of the weirwood, and he would often lay at the base of the tree, looking up at the branches and the clouds. He always liked to imagine what it looked like before the Brackens poisoned it, the massive weirwood and its equally massive branches covered with innumerable red leaves. At first, he saw the Old Gods that the Blackwood's worshipped as strange things. He remembered how the Septon at Casterly Rock told him how the First Men still hung on to their old ways and their old gods, that they were heathens that shall one day see the light of the Seven. As he spent time amongst the Blackwoods and their godswood, he became increasingly sympathetic to their ways. He began to think that perhaps the Old Gods were as real as the Seven-Who-Are-One. His thoughts would also drift to his great-grandfather, Jamie Lannister, the man who they say was Azor Ahai reborn, the Prince that Was Promised. In time, he would begin to look into various faiths of his ancestors and the faith of Rh'llor. However, these studies came to a quick end, as war returned to Westeros. The Lion at War in the Riverlands In the 382nd year after Aegon's Conquest, Brynden Baelish, Lord of Harrenhal and descendant of King Petyr I Baelish though his second son, rose in rebellion against the King on the Iron Throne, Edmund I Baelish. He was supported by Houses Tully, Arryn, and various bannermen from the Vale, Riverlands, and Reach, alongside the High Septon and the Faith Militant. At first, Kevan was unsure how to react. He knew that King Edmure was the rightful King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men and that Brynden was nothing more than a usurper and a rebel, but he knew not how Lord Blackwood would react. This youthful paranoia would soon pass, as Lord Tristifer Blackwood declared his loyalty to the Crown and began to gather his forces in preparation to march against the traitor. When Lord Tristifer marched to Riverrun, Kevan followed as he was Lord Blackwood's squire. He had seen Riverrun once before, marching along the River Road from Casterly Rock when he was still a boy, but this was a very different occasion. Kevan's grandfather, Tyrek Lannister, marched upon Riverrun before Lord Tully was even able to raise his forces. The lion was able to trap the unprepared trout. It was here, outside Riverrun, that Kevan was finally able to see his grandfather again for the first time in years. However, this reunion was cut short, as Lord Blackwood marched with his forces against traitorous Freys. Marching along the River Road, Lord Blackwood's forces were set upon by the Faith Militant. This would be Kevan's first true battle. He fought alongside Lord Blackwood and his Blackwood cousins, but in the end, they were routed and forced to retreat to Raventree Hall. They marched through Bracken lands on the way back, and Kevan watched as the Blackwood forces pillaged villages and sacked keeps. Kevan Lannister returned to Raventree Hall in the latter portion of the 383rd year after Aegon's Conquest. He was able to rest for a short amount of time, and he spent much of it contemplating in the godswood beneath the great weirwood tree. He remembered tales of the destruction of the Riverlands during the War of the Five Kings, what he had seen along the way reminded him of those tales. The Lannister was not left with much time to ponder, however, and when Lord Tristifer Blackwood marched for the climactic Battle of Harrenhal, Kevan followed. The colossal towers of Harrenhal were visible from quite a distance. Kevan had heard stories, but he never imagined Harren the Black's fortress to be this enormous. Casterly Rock was taller than the Wall, but the Casterlys built their seat upon a mountain of gold. Harrenhal was made of stone, it's high walls and high towers were built through the tireless work of tens of thousands of Riverman thralls. Kevan looked upon the melted towers from the Blackwood contingent of the siege camp, but he wouldn't look on for long. The traitor, Brynden Baelish, gathered what remained of his Valeman and Riverman forces, alongside the Faith Militant and regrouped at his seat of Harrenhal. He needed a victory against Edmund's forces, and so ensued the Battle of Harrenhal. The battle was hard-fought, Kevan Lannister fought alongside Lord Tristifer and his Blackwood cousins in the Blackwood contingent. Kevan had never been a particularly skilled warrior, and when he slipped from his saddle, his sword fell some distance away. As Kevan slipped in the mud, attempting to get up on the back of his horse, one of Brynden's men came forth and swung his sword at the Lannister, cutting Kevan's nose. Kevan desperately reached for his sword, and when it finally came into his grasp, he held it outwards, only to see his assailant dead. The Lannister clumsily climbed back onto his horse, blood running down his face, and fought on. Brynden Baelish would be captured and executed for his treason. Kevan Lannister rode back to Raventree Hall, where he would say his goodbyes to his Blackwood cousins before riding home, to Casterly Rock. Kevan Lannister was finally to be a man-grown. The wound upon his nose would heal nicely, leaving only a small, straight scar. The Lion in the Mockingbird's Nest When Kevan arrived at Casterly Rock, he was greeted by his mother, Roslin Mallister, his sister, Lysa Lannister, his brother, Martyn Lannister and to his surprise, his grandfather, Tyrek Lannister. The Warden of the West had resigned his post on the small council, seeing the young Stark's appointment as an insult to great to bear. What surprised him even more, however, was that Lysa was to wed Prince Tristan Baelish. Kevan Lannister became a man-grown in truth on the last day of the Sixth Moon in the 384th year after Aegon's Conquest. His 16th nameday celebration was extravagant. Singers and musicians, jugglers and actors, dancers and acrobats, both foreign dignitary and high lord graced the halls of Casterly Rock. A great feast was held as well, and it was here that Kevan met Loreon Lannett, a very distant cousin, and the two would go on to become close friends. Soon after Kevan's nameday celebration concluded, the Lannisters prepared to make their way to King's Landing to attend the wedding of Lady Lysa Lannister and Prince Tristan Baelish. Kevan had only seen the Prince once before, at the Battle of Harrenhal, but he had heard of his deeds, and so he had no reason to dislike the man. Upon his arrival in King's Landing, he quickly became acclimated to the city, settling quite well into the expansive Lannister manse. Although his main concern upon arriving in the city was helping his sister choose a wedding dress. Kevan settled back into the Lannister lifestyle with great haste. He enjoyed fine Arbor Reds, ate fine foods, and wore luxurious clothing. Then the day of the wedding came. It was the most expensive wedding in living memory, a great display of the wealth of the Lion and the power of the Mockingbird. Kevan smiled as Prince Tristan wrapped the mockingbird about his sister, and it was he that cheered the loudest when the time came. A great feast was held afterward, and the following day, a tourney in honor of the union of the Houses Lannister and Baelish. Following the wedding, Kevan Lannister decided to stay at King's Landing, while his brother, Martyn Lannister, and grandfather, Tyrek Lannister, elected to return to Casterly Rock. His mother, Roslin Mallister, made frequent trips to and from Casterly Rock and King's Landing. Kevan became a popular face at court, regularly switching his quarters variably between the Red Keep, where his sister now lived, and the Lannister manse. He spoke well and had a sweet tongue, attracting many new friends and acquaintances, quickly catching on to the court procedures and etiquette of the Red Keep. Kevan had a two new high harps made for himself in King's Landing, a gold-stringed harp with Lannister imagery and a replica of Prince Rhaegar's silver-stringed harp. His music could just as easily put a smile upon one's face as it could bring one to tears. A year passed, and while war raged with the Triarchy, Kevan hosted extravagant parties at the Lannister manse. Day after day, he feasted, sang, played his harps, laughed, socialized, and drank fine Arbor Red. Kevan also began to take up painting as well, and he would often sit upon a balcony of the Red Keep and paint the scenery, often with a few observers. Kevan felt as if he was living in a dream that would never end. It did. The Golden Lion on a Field of Crimson Silk In the 385th year after Aegon's Conquest, shocking news arrived in King's Landing. The King's eldest son and heir was dead, killed outside the walls of Myr. Yet what proved to be even more shocking was that the King had exiled and disinherited his other son, Prince Tristan Baelish, Kevan's brother-in-law. Kevan immediately canceled all plans for any upcoming events at the Lannister manse and made his way to the Red Keep to see his sister, Lysa Lannister. Prince Tristan offered Kevan's sister a choice, accompany him in exile or remain in Westeros. Kevan told his sister to follow her heart and when she left King's Landing, Kevan did as well. Kevan's second return to Casterly Rock was much more somber compared to his first return. He had always been close to his sister, and her leaving darkened his mood. Nonetheless, his mother, brother, and grandfather politely welcomed him back home. For weeks after his return to Casterly Rock, he remained in his chambers, accompanied occasionally his mother, Roslin Mallister, only coming out to eat or for formal occasions. One day, during the latter portion of the 385th year after Aegon's Conquest, Kevan received a summons from his grandfather, Tryek Lannister. He dressed well and headed to his grandfather's solar. Tyrek Lannister informed Kevan that he named him Lord Ambassador of the Westerlands and that his duties would begin immediately. Slowly, Kevan began to snap out of his melancholy. He dressed extravagantly, he ate fine foods, drank Arbor Red, and treated with Lords and Ladies. Kevan would go on to purchase a manse in Lannisport, beautiful and expansive, with a seaside view. From here, he'd hold lavish parties and host distinguished guests. Much like in other places, his silver tongue and sweet words would gain him many friends and acquaintances in Lannisport and the Westerlands as a whole. While hosting Lord Spicer, he became close friends with one of his sons, Ser Lymond Spicer. In the latter portion of the 368th year after Aegon’s Conquest, Kevan organized a lavish tourney at Lannisport. A certain Ser Alyn Kenning placed highly in the tournament. He was a dashing man, most definitely, and he caught the eye of Kevan Lannister. The pair hit it off and the two got involved. As Kevan met with this lord and that lord, his skills in diplomacy came in quite handy, and he learned the importance of leaving with a compromise that left both sides involved happy. (Negotiator) The years passed by and if he wasn't on an assignment from his grandfather, he would be feasting, or painting, or singing and playing music, or socializing, or myriad other things. Kevan was a Lannister after all, and all would know the meaning of the words, "Hear Me Roar." Timeline * 368 - Kevan Lannister is born to Stafford Lannister and Roslin Mallister * 370 - Kevan Lannister's father, Stafford Lannister, dies in the Battle of Gravehand's Shoal * 377 - Kevan Lannister is sent to Raventree Hall by his grandfather to become a ward and squire of Lord Tristifer Blackwood, he would grow up here with the other Blackwood children * 382 - Kevan Lannister squires for Lord Tristifer Blackwood during Brynden's Rebellion * 384 - With Brynden's Rebellion concluded, Kevan Lannister leaves Raventree Hall for Casterly Rock, he attends Lysa Lannister's wedding to Prince Tristan Baelish and decides to stay in the city with his sister * 385 - Kevan Lannister leaves King's Landing for Casterly Rock after Lysa leaves for Essos to be with her exiled husband, Prince Tristan Baelish, Tyrek Lannister names Kevan Lannister, his grandson, Lord Ambassador of the Westerlands * 390 - Kevan Lannister heads to King's Landing to attend King Edmund's festivities Family Tree Supporting Characters * Ser Lymond Spicer - Warrior (Swords) - 23, just over six feet tall, an athletic build and light brown hair - Close friend and effective bodyguard * Loreon Lannett - Scholar - 20, an attractive young man with typical Lannister looks, rather resembles Kevan - Close friend, basically his Gary * Ser Alyn Kenning - Tourney Knight - 25, six inches taller than Kevan and much more muscular - Close friend and former lover Category:House Lannister Category:Westerlander